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Just bought my first Deuce!!

nchittendon

nchittendon

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La Crosse, Wisconsin
They came with posts. Everything was there except the switch, and the wiring from the switch to the poles. I got the beacons, perches, poles, and electrical from one beacon to the next. One perch is bent a little, but nothing we can't handle. Otherwise, really good shape. All moving parts move, all sliding parts slide. $300 took 'em home.
 
nchittendon

nchittendon

Active member
544
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La Crosse, Wisconsin
Boy, these things are fun! Owning one is an adventure every time you drive it.

Did my normal ritual.....went out, checked fluids (mainly to make sure they are still on the inside), and fired her up. Let her warm up for a bit while I walked around kicking tires and checking lights, etc. Climb into the truck, release the park brake.......something doesn't feel right. The lever didn't seem to go all the way down like "normal." Put it in gear and tried to get it to inch forward, no....parking brake stuck. Let's not push it. Try reverse.....even stickier. Mind you, was getting ready to head to work. limited on time. First thought was possibly ice....??? Started to push through the brake and just drive. Figured, well, if it takes out the park brake, it'll be a good time to replace with new. If it does worse......we'll cross that bridge when it comes.
Got a few blocks from home and could smell that brake smell. Not good. But, around that same time, the truck started moving more freely and all seemed well.
Got to work, set the park brake to run inside and clock in. It's on a very slight grade, but the brake held. Came back out, released fine. Parked the truck, set the brake. Went to work.
Came out 10 hours later, fired her up, released the brake.......didn't feel right again. Same thing as last time.
The next day I slide under the truck and start hitting grease points. Instinct I guess. All the springs are there, and attached. Maybe not as strong as they were, but all still present and accounted for.
Then I started working up the cable towards the cab. I think I found the culprit. Right where the cable goes through the frame (above the spare tire carrier), on the back side of the frame, the cable guide is split......kinda like bamboo. So, I shot a half a can of wd40 at it.
Then, once I got to where the cable meets the cab (above the storage compartment), it too was split like a splintered bamboo. Went into the cab, and put the rest of the WD40 down the cable guide.
Everything is working flawless now, but apparently I need a new cable.
Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!
 
The King Machine

The King Machine

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Vancouver, British Columbia
My parking brake was doing the same.

Rust was my problem, split the cable strands then they bound up inside the cable track and seized for the rest of eternity. What you explained above happened to me 3 times before the cable seized up completely.
 
nchittendon

nchittendon

Active member
544
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Location
La Crosse, Wisconsin
We have had our house on the market for a short while now. My wife refused to let "RC" stay on the property while we are showing. So it has been staying at a friend's house parked next to his newly acquired HEMTT. Luckily, I get updates from the "babysitter" from time to time....
12573730_10156604059965657_5821696138646007577_n.jpg

We had a cold snap here recently (-20 and lower). I felt she would be best served to just ride it out, and I would go deal with the aftermath. I didn't want to go try to start her in conditions like that and make matters worse. After the cold spell, I headed over and did my pre-trip. Everything looked good. No fluids on the outside, all still on the inside, tires were right where I left them. Hit the lever, waited for about 60 seconds of the buzzer piercing my soul, then hit the button. About 6 cranks of the engine, and 2 pumps from the tall pedal and she fired right up. Man I love these things. Decided she earned some daddy time, so I parked the SUV at the sitters, and drove the deuce home. I've been driving it daily since last Wednesday when I picked it up. Flawless.

The last couple days we've had our first real snow of the season.
12645015_10156640411645657_8587411819395351942_n.jpg
The pic was in the morning, with plenty coming throughout the day and that night. Went out, swept all the snow off, fired her up. The temps are still about 30 degrees, so I didn't plug it in. Started no problem. Went around and aired down all the tires to 20psi, rotated my locking hubs, and decided to load up with more stuff going to our storage shed on the south side of town. Tossed the kids in, and away we went. Soldier B and C had a blast. Everyone out shoveling would stop and watch us chug by. The boys would smile with HUGE smiles and wave. The thought it was cool everyone was staring at us. lol

AAR: She didn't let me down, not one bit.....again. The biggest thing I noticed with the front axle locked in for a whole day of driving.....man she sucks down the fuel!! lol Either way, there was no slipping. Turning was fine. Braking was fine. I'm on stock NDT's with not much weight in the back (I threw a few of my extra mounted NDT's in the back). I see all the time how NDT's are terrible. I haven't gone window deep in mud yet with it, but everything I have asked her to do so far she has done without falter. We also accepted an offer on our house yesterday so I'm thinking the truck sitting in the yard was the big selling point!!

Thanks for reading. Just wanted to share how awesome these things are yet again.
 
Another Ahab

Another Ahab

Well-known member
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Alexandria, VA
nchittendon said:
We also accepted an offer on our house yesterday so I'm thinking the truck sitting in the yard was the big selling point!!

Thanks for reading. Just wanted to share how awesome these things are yet again.
Click to expand...
You might want to double-check with the Buyer:

- That bud might be thinking the rig is a part of his deal.


greed.jpg
 
R

Roaddog58

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Dorset Ohio
Have you tried drifting? I gave my neighbor a ride on our ice covered roads that would take your breath away!! he was talking real loudly about how trucks shouldn't drift?, I guess he aint an APPALACHIAN -AMERICAN!!
 
nchittendon

nchittendon

Active member
544
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La Crosse, Wisconsin
Haven't tried sliding her yet. lol The right conditions and I won't hesitate.

The day has finally come for us! Wed/thurs we are moving into our new house. This means so many things for us, but the main thing it means for me is that I can finally focus on the truck again. I've been piling up parts and haven't had time to install them. This summer will be epic!!
 
R

Roaddog58

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Dorset Ohio
Just put a turbo and replaced no 6 piston and liner in my number 1 deuce, turned up the pump 3 flats. Now it will roll down the highway at 55-60 with 900x20, soon to be change to 11.00x20s. if you need tires check out glens place in ks, real righteous man. need any tips , just ask. GOD BLESS. PS Send the very best!! [ hollow points]
 
R

Roaddog58

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I used to drive cross country in the 70s and 80s, and sometimes we would have a long wait to get loaded, we would get bored and play in the bigger parking lots. We would get up a head of steam and pull the hand brake, turn the wheel, ha ha the first few times was a bit pucker factor, but you got used to it, remember this was before engine brakes and computers. Still have lots of fun, old kids, big toys!!
 
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